Hardy Perennial Plants for Outdoor Pots That Will Survive Winter: Plant Once, Enjoy for Many Years

Colorfully planted balconies are so beautiful to look at and make the outdoor area so much more beautiful. If only it didn’t involve so much work… the constant replanting every season can be quite annoying and the short breaks with wilted flowers in between (especially in winter) can be really annoying. But not if you choose hardy perennial plants for outdoor pots that will survive winter. Which flowering and green plants are suitable for this purpose?

So, the good news! You do not have to give up beautiful balcony plants due to lack of time or desire, because hardy perennial plants for outdoor pots that will survive winter are exactly what the name suggests: beautiful plants all year round and often even for several years. No more seasonal flowers!

Hardy Perennial Plants for Outdoor Pots That Will Survive Winter – A Beautiful Balcony All Year Round

Perennial plants that are hardy, evergreen in winter or maybe even bloom and also look beautiful at other times of the year are the key to your balcony happiness. Which ones are suitable?

Also read: Balcony Plants for Winter: Lists of Suitable Varieties for Your Outdoor Pots

Evergreen Foliage Decoration for Outdoor Pots

If you’re thinking about hardy perennial plants for outdoor pots that will survive winter, you should get away from the idea of uninterrupted blooms. This is simply impossible and not at all necessary to have a beautiful balcony. Foliage decoration is no less effective when it comes to balcony design.

Which evergreen plants are hardy and suitable? There are a few, such as:

• Blue fescue (Festuca cinerea)
• Ivy (Hedera), for shade
• Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana)
• Sedges (Carex), evergreen in mild winters
• Ornamental cabbage (beautiful until spring)

Grasses are tall plants for outdoor pots that can be used to add texture and height to floral arrangements. Ideally, they should be in the middle of the container. Because they are so hardy, they are very popular as winter-resistant balcony plants.

Note: Ornamental grasses also produce flowers. However, we have listed them separately because they do not seem as impressive as other balcony flowers, for example.

Also read: What Low Maintenance Plants for Fall Planters to Choose? 7 Pretty Species to Replace Summer Ones!

Hardy Perennial Plants for Outdoor Pots That Will Survive Winter: Flowering Plants

There are species that bloom profusely and eye-catchingly during the warm season and remain pretty green in winter. For example, sedums are perfect plants for south-facing balconies. They are hardy balcony plants that can withstand sun and wind.

• Plant your outdoor pots with double-flowering garden chamomile

Extremely hardy, this species is also very easy to care for, which makes it just perfect even for beginners. Don’t let the name “Garden Chamomile” (Anthemis nobilis ‘Plena’) fool you, as its hardiness also makes it ideal for outdoor containers. As hardy balcony plants, they bloom in midsummer, so they are also wonderful summer flowers for the balcony, and decorate the pots with their beautiful leaves in winter.

• Plant moss phlox as year-round balcony plants

While this plant is known for its summer bloom, many don’t realize the fact that it is also evergreen. In the cold season, when the flowering period is long over, the easy-care beauty continues to decorate, even in a window box. The Moss phlox (Phlox subulata) can tolerate temperatures down to -0.4F/-18 C degrees and can survive even a dry period. However, avoid placing them on a very sunny south-facing balcony because the blazing winter sun does not suit them.

• Cranesbill as a hardy relative of the popular geraniums

Geraniums are a classic if you want to plant flower pots on the balcony, but unfortunately they have to be overwintered because they cannot survive the low temperatures. But there are actually varieties that can do this, but they are not the pelargoniums we are familiar with, but rather ones like Cranesbill (geranium), which not only tolerates a sunny location, but also temperatures down to -4F/-20C degrees. Don’t forget that plants are quite thirsty during the warm season.

• Lavender in window boxes

There are small varieties of lavender (Lavandula) that are well suited for container and box planting. Since these bloom beautifully in summer and also retain their beautiful foliage in winter, they are an even better choice. However, it is advisable to prepare the plant for the cold season by winterizing it. Then you can enjoy it as a hardy perennial plant for outdoor pots all season long.

• Moss Rose: Not hardy, but still useful for permanent planting

Moss Rose (Portulaca grandiflora) are also a great choice for year-round planting, but they are not hardy and will gradually die after flowering. However, they are suitable for permanent planting, as they reproduce themselves wonderfully through seeds. In the new season, new flowers grow without any effort and fill in any gaps in the container.

Which flowers can I plant in outdoor containers now? For example, how about this:

• Christmas rose (Helleborus niger), very popular for winter planting on the balcony
• Stonecrop (Sedum)
• Round-leaved oregano (Origanum rotundifolium), hanging plant
• Periwinkle (Vinca minor)
• Iceplant (Delosperma cooperi), wintergreen
• Coral bells (Heuchera) and (Heuchera micrantha ‘Obsidian’)
• Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
• Sage (Salvia)
• Boxberry (Gaultheria)
• Candytuft (Iberis)
• Winter heath (Erica carnea)
• Japanese skimmia (Skimmia)
• Holly (Ilex)
• Thyme (thymus)
• Spurges (Euphorbia)
• Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster)

Note: Even hardy plants need frost protection in winter, as they are much more exposed to the cold in pots and containers. than in the open air and natural soil.

Also read: Frost Resistant Evergreen Shrubs: 4 Plants That Will Brighten Up the Garden in Winter